There’s something about the arrival of the Oakland A’s to Fenway Park that brings out the best in the Red Sox’ offense.
A year ago, the Red Sox scored 40 runs in their three-game home series with the A’s and Tuesday night, the Red Sox picked up where they left off last season, pounding the A’s, 11-1.
Mookie Betts blasted two homers and added a triple to knock in six runs while the Sox collected 16 hits. The first three hitters at the top of the Red Sox batting order -- Dustin Pedroia, Chris Young and Betts -- combined for eight hits and five runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts chipped in with three hits and Christian Vazquez added two more as the Sox won for the fifth time in seven games on the current homestand.
The win, coupled with Tampa Bay’s win over the Yankees, gave the Sox a four-game lead with 18 games remaining.
Four Red Sox pitchers – led by starter Eduardo Rodriguez – limited the A’s to just three hits. Rodriguez gave up a run in the first inning, then shut the A’s down for the next five innings, totaling nine strikeouts though he walked four and hit a batter.
GAME NO.: 144
WHO: Red Sox (81-62) vs Oakland A’s (63-80)
WHEN: 7:10 pm
WHERE: Fenway Park
TV: NESN
RADIO: WEEI (93.7 FM)
PITCHERS: Eduardo Rodriguez (4-5, 4.33) vs. Sean Manaea (10-9, 4.33)
BOX SCORE: MLB Gameday
SERIES TO DATE: This is the first of three at Fenway this week between the two teams, who last met in May, when the A’s took three-of-four games. In some ways, the Red Sox bottomed out after that series, dropping to .500 (21-21) while falling four games out of first in the American League East. To date, that represents the team’s lowpoint in the standings this season.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
- This may be one of the last chances Chris Young has to make a positive impression as we get closer to devising playoff rosters. Young is in the lineup tonight and hitting second -- the highest he's been in the order in a while -- on the strength of a 4-for-4 game he had against Oakland starter Sean Manaea. For the season, Young has struggled mightily, hitting just .187 (17-for-91) this season coming into tonight. When asked pre-game at what point Young's past success against lefties get cancelled out by his struggles this season, John Farrell responded: "I think we're getting to that point. You continue to provide opportunity. You get into the latter part of this month and you begin to start paying closer attention to what is the hotter hand...And as much as you want to acknowledge how those players have gotten you that point in their tenure here, there comes a point where you have to pay closer attention to what is currently taking place.'' To date, Young reached on a swinging bunt, took a called third strike and flied to center.
- Farrell also mentioned pre-game that he thought Dustin Pedroia was beginning to get his timing back at the plate. Sure enough, Pedroia is 3-for-3 so far, with all three hits line-drive singles. On the homestand so far, Pedroia is 8-for-16 with a homer.
- Eduardo Rodriguez is poised to pick up his first victory since...wait for it...May 26. Rodriguez allowed just one hit over six innings -- a first-inning, RBI double -- and fanned nine, though he did walk four and hit another. The outing was a reminder of how frustrating Rodriguez can be. He clearly has above-average stuff, but too often, nibbles around the strike zone while running up his pitch count. Tonight, he needed 109 pitches in six innings, despite allowing only the one hit.